FIXED PITCH 450

[HELIHANKSTER]

The idea of a 450 size fixed pitch helicopter came up again a few weeks ago here on the Honey Bee forum and it really got me thinking about how one could be made. I’m one of those guys who love to tinker and build just as much as I like to fly, so taking on a task like this is right up my alley. I have built a few rc helicopters kits so the main airframe wasn’t going to be a problem…The real issue was going to be the head. I had bounce a bunch of ideas around in my head, but the only one that seem doable was trying to make the multiplex funcopter head fit a 450 clone helicopter. I had seen a few videos on the funcopter and read some thread so even those I had never had one in my hands I knew this was the only way to make a 450 size FP bird that would almost be as tough as the Bee. Simplicity and toughness had to be achieve…if not there was no reason to build it. From what I could tell by reading and watching the funcopter videos…this was the ultimate fixed pitch helicopter. A FP trainer that was a 450/500 size bird and seem to be tough enough to take the abuse of a noobie or professional crasher like me…Sweet right? Makes you want to run right out and buy one…right? Well before you do you might want to call the bank and make sure you have plenty of money… Just check out BP Hobbies…they are one of the few places in the US that sells the funcopter and if you get the funcopter assembled with motor, esc and gyro its going to cost $394.99 and you will still need to buy a battery and receiver…man that some serious money! This is where being a tinker pays off, I was able to build a helicopter that is just as good as the funcopter or maybe even better for half the cost.

Value Hobby E450 plastic kit……………………………..$29.99
Gforce E450 3500kv brushless motor…………………….$15.50
Hobbywing Pentium 30A ESC…………………………….$16.50
Three HXT 900.……………………………........................$8.07
Ebay S9650 tail servo………………………………...........$7.76
HK-401B gyro……………………………….....................$12.79
Win Force 2200mAh battery………………………………$13.00
Multiplex Funcopter Parts
Blade holder………………………………........................$11.49
Pushrod set……………………………….........................$12.49
Main rotor lever set………………………………............. .$11.49
Main rotor head set………………………………...............$14.49
Auxiliary rotor set……………………………….................$14.49
Main rotor blades (pair)……………………………............$23.29
Total ………………………………..................................$193 .35

Here some pictures of the build
























Flight video to come

[johnnycat500]

HH You got to be kidding me...LOL As a fellow tinker this is great. I have an un-built dragonus plastic kit that would be great for this.Can't wait to see a video, but how does she fly? Is that a funcopter swash? It's an fp but why the 3 servo's. Can you explain that please.

[HELIHANKSTER]

Here you go Johnny...tell me what you think

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Me10R-2C50k[/ame]

[avirnig]

so, why 3 servos? you didnt explain that when dan asked... also, granted i know this isnt dialed in all the way yet, but how do you like the performance compared to the modded king and modded 250?

and i dont know about the funcopter head being the toughest, but they did build it sturdy for a plastic head anyway

it seems like when you laned a couple times that the heli had some sort of blade or drive system glitch where it was kind of kerchunking as it was spinning down, enough at one point that the heli tipped over. have you figured out what that was all about?

as far as the HK Tx, i do not own one as i have a used dx6i i bought off the rcgroups forums for pretty cheap. the dx6i would allow you to do your expo and dual rates like you want to.

also, where did you get the head parts? how did you mod that shaft? is it the funcopter shaft or the 450 shaft? didnt you need the nicketeer set too?

[johnnycat500]

That is just to cool HH . Does it fly like a big honeybee? You really topped yourself on this one...great job.

[HELIHANKSTER]

Johnny only had two flights, but so far it seem to fly well…very very stable!

Johnny no it’s the swash that came in the kit. The funcopter swash doesn’t have a ARP, it uses a Nickwippen set also called a Pitch-axis rocker…don’t ask me…all I can tell you is it doesn’t have a ARP. The funcopter main shaft diameter is 4mm and I try to find a 90 degree swash that would work so I could use a two servo setup, but had no luck. Then I got the idea to wait for the parts to come in and see if I could drill out the fun copter hub to work on a 5mm shaft…got the parts and right way knew I could fit the hub to the 5mm shaft. Since I had to use the swash that came with the kit which is a 120 degree swash I had to use all three servos. I just set my radio up for a ccpm helicopter and took out the mixing so the swash didn’t move up or down with the throttle…works like a charm.

Thanks Johnny it really does fly like a big Honey Bee lolololol!

[Viet-Lama]

Double H, you my friend are a "Mod God!"
What creativity you have, love your work!
I too was curious about the 3servo set up but damn, you sure worked your way around that swash issue didnt you

Im so far behind the times, still trying to burn up my HBFP spares so I can build a 250FP ! Maybe I should just sell them on here :o

Again , great work keeping us inspired and entertained!

[avirnig]

i still would like to know a more detailed description with the pictures like you did with the king and 250 mods you did, as well as where you bought the parts from. once i finish my 250 mod (just waiting for parts to arrive, everything is ordered), ill start work on the 450 mod.

also, what size are the actual funcopter main bearings? would they fit in the 450 bearing blocks? if so, you may be able to use the actual funcopter mainshaft and use the funcopter swash as well.

[Mr.Tan]

wow, great work hank!!!! I can't believe you actually made it happen haha... i know i remember talking about it and all that stuff but hot dog, thats awesome.

[Chris Arena]

I havent decided on a 250 fp or a King II FP. All I know is that since flying a belt tail, I just can't go back to a tail motor. I may just sell the bee and start over. I have a Spektrum orange clone reciever and 900 servo's on order already.

If you could only build one of the above, which one would you build, if you alrady had a CP 450.?

[the collective]

Why not build any 450 kit all stock and then just run a flatline pitchurve to achieve fixed pitch?

Hold on a minute... let me check this...

Yep. I just set the normal pitch curve on my FBL Rave to 70% flatline and took it out of governor mode. Works just fine as a fixed pitch, but not really my thing.

[HELIHANKSTER]

I hear you, but heres the different for me...you have a blade strike or a light crash with a cp helicopter and the very least you are changing a feathering shaft and re-setting pitch. The purpose of this build is to try and make a 450 trainer that has a simple yet tougher head that wont put your flying back an hour while your fixing it.

[JettaManDan]

Chris...the King 2FP conversion is easier i think by a lot....i'm just a tialbox short of having what i need for a 2nd one..but i think i'm just gonna keep the parts in reserve...

sick Hank! ..you're really off your rocker on this one! lol...wish i could see this in person....

[HELIHANKSTER]

Originally Posted by Viet-Lama

Double H, you my friend are a "Mod God!"
What creativity you have, love your work!
I too was curious about the 3servo set up but damn, you sure worked your way around that swash issue didnt you

Im so far behind the times, still trying to burn up my HBFP spares so I can build a 250FP ! Maybe I should just sell them on here :o

Again , great work keeping us inspired and entertained!

Thanks Bro
If getting you to do a FP250 means I have to buy your Bees then let me know how much you want lol!

I don’t think you would have a problem selling them VL. You are like a rock star to most of us, for someone to own a VL Bee…just smoking!

Originally Posted by Mr.Tan

wow, great work hank!!!! I can't believe you actually made it happen haha... i know i remember talking about it and all that stuff but hot dog, thats awesome.

Mr. Tan you are definitely the one who got me thinking of doing a FP450. I can now tell you for sure that if you still wanted to convert your CPX to a FP you could. It would take some work, but I know the Funcopter rotor head and blades will work on the Belt 5mm main shaft.

Originally Posted by Chris Arena

I havent decided on a 250 fp or a King II FP. All I know is that since flying a belt tail, I just can't go back to a tail motor. I may just sell the bee and start over. I have a Spektrum orange clone reciever and 900 servo's on order already.

Originally Posted by Chris Arena

If you could only build one of the above, which one would you build, if you alrady had a CP 450.?

Ummm…interesting question Chris
I don’t really know which one I would pick over the other, they both fly/handle a little different, but I really like them both so for me it would be hard to decide.

I can give you my opinion of both which might help you decide.

FPK2
Pros
Larger than the FP250 so it’s easier to work on…Placing electronics and wiring
Easier to see at a distance
Lower head speed needed for lift, but still very smooth in flight
Heavier than the FP250 so it handle wind a little better

Cons
Getting harder to find a bare bone Kit…cost about $60.00
If you were to buy the King 2 parts separately to build the FPK2…$90.00
Having to wait and try to find someone selling one cheap
The fixed pitch King Conversion is harder/takes more work to build than the FP250
(You have to cut and drill both the King and Honey Bee/Xtreme shafts to make it work and if you crash and bend the modify Xtreme shaft you will have to cut and drill a new one)


FP250
Pros
250 clone kits are cheap and available…$30.00 or less
Once a few parts are upgrade and tune properly this little bird fly like its on rails.
Higher head speed + Bell/Hiller = makes It response super quick to cyclic inputs
You do not have to cut the Xtreme shaft, once you change out the bearings (very easy to do) it’s a direct fit and changing a bend shaft after a crash is super easy.

Cons
Stock belt is junk (don’t try to fly it until you replace it with a Kevlar one)
Boom Block need to be upgraded to the HK-GT250 metal one or the Align one.
Small size makes it hard to see at a distance

Originally Posted by JettaManDan

sick Hank! ..you're really off your rocker on this one! lol...wish i could see this in person....

Ha Ha Hah...I know everybody thinks I'm nuts, but this bird really is sick!...I think once I get her dail in that she going to be a super fun helicopter to fly.

[JettaManDan]

Originally Posted by HELIHANKSTER

Ha Ha Hah...I know everybody thinks I'm nuts, but this bird really is sick!...I think once I get her dail in that she going to be a super fun helicopter to fly.

you need another name change... HankFixedPitcher

[avirnig]

so if the stock 250 belt is junk, how long would it last? ill get one comming, since i didnt know i would need one, but it will have to wait for a couple weeks till i get paid again to order it. you think this belt would last that long? or should i just wait the 2 weeks without assembling the tail rotor head and boom and install it right away. i do have my bee to fly in the mean time, but i was curious when you said it was junk.

also, i would still like a little more detail with the pictures to explain exactly how you did the mod step by step.

[HELIHANKSTER]

I got to thinking.............nicknames are rather silly

[avirnig]

what about:

HankFixedPitchesForTheOtherTeam

LOL.

[HELIHANKSTER]

Originally Posted by avirnig

what about:

HankFixedPitchesForTheOtherTeam

LOL.

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[avirnig]

Originally Posted by HELIHANKSTER

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lol, sorry, it was just so WIIIIIIIIIIIDE open there that i had to take the shot